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California lifts regional stay-at-home DATELINE USA Newsom honors order, counties return to tier system Fil-Am officer with FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Medal of Valor

A FILIPINO American California Highway Patrol officer was honored this week after risking his life to recover a slain police officer in Sacramento. Officer Michael Panlilio was one of eight law enforcement officers awarded a Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor by Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in a virtual ceremony on Monday, January 25. The medal is the highest state award for valor awarded to a public safety officer. “For his extraordinary bravery, heroism and courage in the face of imminent and personal life-threatening peril, Officer Panlilio’s actions were above and beyond the call of duty and exemplify the highest standards of a California public safety officer,” a release from the governor’s office said. On June 19, 2019, Panlilio responded to a call from the Sacramento Police Department after officer Tara O’Sullivan was shot at a residence. When he arrived at the scene, the suspect, who was using a high-power rifle to shoot from an elevated position, barricaded himself inu PAGE A2

US imposes travel restrictions on several countries with virus variant UNITED STATES President Joe Biden has reinstated travel restrictions on most nonU.S. citizens who have been in Britain, Brazil, Ireland and much of Europe to slow the transmission of the new COVID-19 variant. Biden on Monday, January 25, also expanded the restrictions to include travelers who have recently been to South Africa, where a new strain of the virus has been detected. “The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding overseas territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, and the Federative Republic of Brazil during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, is hereby suspended,” read the proclamation. The European countries impacted by the reinstatement of the travel ban include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, u PAGE A2

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

CALIFORNIA lifted the regional stay-at-home order across the state amid “positive signs” of a slower spread of COVID-19, officials announced this week, paving the way for activities like outdoor dining and personal care services to reopen once again with

modifications. On Monday, January 25, all counties returned to the color-coded tiers that indicate which activities and businesses are open based on local case rates and test positivity. Prior to the announcement, San Joaquin Valley (1.3% ICU capacity), Bay Area and Southern Califor-

nia (0% ICU capacity) were still under the regional stay-at-home order, but four-week ICU capacity projections for those areas are reportedly above 15%. “We are in a position, projecting four weeks forward, with a significant decline in the case rates, positivity rates, we are anticipating decline still more

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Biden signs executive order denouncing anti-Asian racism, hate amid COVID pandemic by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

PRESIDENT Joe Biden signed four executive orders on Tuesday, January 26 aimed at pushing racial equity, including one to combat xenophobia and racism against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), which has heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I firmly believe the nation is ready to change but government has to change as well. We need to make equity and justice part of what we do every day, today, tomorrow and every day,” Biden said in his remarks, following a campaign promise to address racial inequities. The directive acknowledges the role that rhetoric from political leaders, “including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin,” has played in the rise in xenophobia and hate VACCINATION DRY-RUN. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III administers a “vaccine” on a barangay health worker as photojournalists incidents targeting AAPIs. click away during the dry-run of the Taguig City’s vaccination drive at the Mega Vaccination Hub at the Lakeshore Complex on Wednesday, “This is unacceptable and it’s un-American,” the January 27. Also in the photo is vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (behind Duque) who also toured and witnessed the COVID-19 vaccination processes.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P Alfiler

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Biden admin appoints Fil-Ams to key roles by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

SHORTLY after taking his oath of office on January 20, President Joe Biden appointed acting heads of federal and development agencies, and among them is Gloria Steele who will serve as acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). At the Department of Interior, Camille Calimlim Touton was named Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, and over at the Department of Defense, Veronica Valdez is the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs. They all join a growing list of Fil-Ams serving across the administration that includes

Jason Tengco, the Office of Personnel Management’s White House liaison; John Santos, a special assistant at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs; and Angela de la Cruz Perez, a new graduate of Georgetown University who is now a part of the White House Communications and Press Staff as a press assistant. Last month, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki described that her first impression of Perez “was that she is all business with a smile.” Perez served as a press assistant on the transition, and was a communications assistant on the Biden-Harris campaign. Gloria Steele (USAID) Steele was a distinguished career member

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Gloria Steele, acting administrator of USAID

Veronica Valdez, special assistant at Defense Department

Fil-Am appointed White House liaison PH gov’t issues new testing for Office of Personnel Management protocols for inbound travelers by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

FILIPINO American millennial Jason Tengco has been tapped to be the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s White House liaison, the Biden-Harris administration announced on Monday, January 25. The OPM serves as the chief human resources agency and personnel policy manager for the federal government. Tengco previously served as the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) outJason Tengco (center) with President Joe Biden and First Lady reach lead on the Biden-Harris transition Dr. Jill Biden in a photo taken during the Obama administration team, and was the chief of staff for the camwhen Biden was VP. Contributed photo paign’s coalition department, which worked

with minority groups and different sectors across the country to get out of the vote. The appointees reflect “the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to diversity, with more than 85% of OPM First Week appointees identifying as people of color, women, or LGBTQ,” the announcement said. Kathleen McGettigan, OPM’s chief management officer, will serve as acting director of OPM until a permanent director is nominated and confirmed. “Biden wants to continue to build off of that significant progress and make sure that we have diverse, talented individuals in his

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

TRAVELERS entering the Philippines are now required to undergo a COVID-19 test five days after their arrival in the country. The new protocol adopted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) says travelers will take a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on the fifth day, instead of imme-

diately after arriving. “Arriving passengers, regardless of their origin, shall be required to undergo facilitybased quarantine upon arrival. They shall undergo RT-PCR test on the fifth day from their date of arrival in the country, unless the passenger shows symptoms at an earlier date while on quarantine,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday, January 27. Once the traveler tested negative, the person will be en-

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january 29-february 3, 2021 • nOrCaL aSIan jOurnaL

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From the Front Page Newsom honors Fil-Am officer with... PAGE A1

side the home and used security cameras to monitor movement. Despite the gunfire, the officer “entered an armored vehicle, which came under fire as it breached the backyard fence and was positioned between the gunman and Officer O’Sullivan,” the release said. Panlilio and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Nielsen left their place of safety, retrieved Officer O’Sullivan and carried her back into the armored vehicle. However, the vehicle became disabled so Panlilio carried the fallen officer approximately 30 feet away to another patrol vehicle that drove them to UC Davis Medical Center. While en route, Panlilio reportedly performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on O’Sullivan, but the latter succumbed to her injuries. Other officers honored include individuals with the Gilroy Police Department, Hawthorne Police Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department. Newsom also awarded the California Military Department Medal of Valor to seven members of the California National Guard. “Today’s Medal of Valor honorees demonstrated unparalleled heroism in service to their communities, risking their own safety to save lives,” said Newsom. “Their actions are an inspiration to all of us and we offer our deep reverence and gratitude to these extraordinary individuals for the sacrifices they make Officer Michael Panlilio and his Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor every day to protect their fellow Californians.” (AJaward Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol Press)

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RALLY AT UP. Members of the League of Parents of the Philippines, Liga Independencia Pilipinas, and the Duterte Youth Party-List hold a picket rally on a road leading to the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City on Tuesday, January 26. They later symbolically served the letter of Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to the UP community, abrogating the UP-DND accord. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

California lifts regional...

PAGE A1 decline in hospitalizations and more declines in ICUs and that’s why we are lifting that stay-athome order effective immediately today,” Governor Gavin Newsom said during his daily briefing on Monday. By Feb. 21, the projected capacity will be 22.3% in San Joaquin Valley, 33.3% in Southern California, and 25% in the Bay Area, according to numbers provided by the governor. The projected capacity depends on current estimated ICU capacity available, current community transmission, current regional case rates and the proportion of cases admitted to the ICU. Newsom introduced the regional order in December and extended it into the new year. The Sacramento region exited the order on January 12 and the Northern California region never entered the order. Purple tier rules Currently, the majority of the counties are in the strictest, or the purple tier. Under the tier, retail can continue to operate with 25% maximum capacity, restaurants and wineries can reopen outdoor dining, gyms and fitness centers can hold outdoor classes, personal care services like hair and nail salons can open indoors

with modifications, and family entertainment centers, cardrooms and movie theaters stay outdoors. Bars, where no food is provided; live audience sports; and amusement parks remain closed. Meanwhile, the counties of Trinity, Alpine, and Mariposa are in the red (substantial) and Sierra County is the only one in the orange tier (moderate). Tier updates are provided weekly on Tuesdays. Individual counties could choose to impose stricter rules, officials said. “California is slowly starting to emerge from the most dangerous surge of this pandemic yet, which is the light at the end of the tunnel we’ve been hoping for,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Seven weeks ago, our hospitals and front-line medical workers were stretched to their limits, but Californians heard the urgent message to stay home when possible and our surge after the December holidays did not overwhelm the health care system to the degree we had feared.” With the end of the regional restrictions, the statewide limited stay-at-home order, which limits non-essential activities between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., also expired. Officials remind the public to

continue to help slow the spread by wearing masks when outside, maintaining physical distancing, and avoiding large gatherings and mixing with other households. As of this writing, California has reported 3,153,186 cases and 37,527 deaths since the start of the pandemic. San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced that businesses allowed in the purple tier would resume on Thursday, January 28. The city will increase capacity to 50% at grocery stores and 25% for retail shops. Outdoor fitness classes, which previously had a 12-person cap, is increased to 25. Outdoor religious and political gatherings no longer have a 200-person cap as long as social distancing can be maintained. “Just keep in mind that this is just not an open door for us to all of a sudden let our hair down and do whatever we want to do,” Breed said. “Let’s keep doing what we’re doing. Let’s keep being smart about wearing our mask and who we interact with, let’s limit the number of people that we interact with so that we can make sure that we don’t see another surge and see this fire continue to get out of control.” n

US imposes travel restrictions on several countries... PAGE A1 Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Before his term ended, thenPresident Donald Trump rescinded the restrictions that have been in place for most of 2020. In response to the move, thenincoming White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on January 19 said in a tweet: “With the pandemic worsening and more contagious variants spreading, this isn’t the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel.”

“On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26. In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” she added. Starting this week, all passengers arriving in the U.S. must have a negative COVID-19 test from within 72 hours of their departure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for its part, said it will no longer consider ex-

ceptions to its requirement that international travelers present negative results. “As variants of the SARS-CoV2 virus continue to emerge in countries around the world, there is growing evidence of increased transmissibility of some of these variants, as well as unknown health and vaccine implications,” it said Sunday. “Testing before and after travel is a critical layer to slow the introduction and spread of COVID-19 and emerging variants,” the CDC added. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

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PAGE A1 president said, referencing the attacks against the community. In an April 2020 interview, Vice President Kamala Harris, a California senator at the time, said the previous administration’s usage of anti-Asian connotations associated with the virus was “absolutely irresponsible” and “born out of ignorance.” “What we have to do as leaders is remind people, they are not alone and encourage them to report these crimes because they are crimes and that we have to advocate to say there needs to be investigation and prosecution,” Harris previously told the Asian Journal. The xenophobic references included “China virus” or “kung flu,” despite World Health Organization guidance on naming diseases to minimize negative effects on nations, economies and people. The order now calls on agencies to remove language in actions or documents that “exhibit or contribute to racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.” The Department of Justice is further directed to expand the collection of data and public reporting regarding hate incidents against community members. Last year, in the absence of federal data collection, advocacy groups like STOP AAPI Hate — founded by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies Department — created a reporting site where individuals could document an incident in English or another language. From March 19 to December 31, 2020, the group told

the Asian Journal that it received 2,808 reported incidents of racism and discrimination targeting community members. During that period up until October 28 of last year, 245 incidents were in Los Angeles County alone. “Since the start of the pandemic, the Asian American community has struggled not only with the COVID-19 pandemic, but with a climate of increasing fear and discrimination. Thousands of us have been the victims of racist attacks, with the knowledge that much of the racist hate we face has been fueled by leaders in our government, including the former president,” the group said in a statement. It added that it was “relieved” that this is one of the early actions but said the Biden-Harris administration should “take bold action” by reversing other executive orders from the Trump era. Among the group’s recommendations is to expand civil rights protections for individuals experiencing discrimination, for the U.S. Attorney General to investigate and initiate civil actions on anti-AAPI hate, and to ensure passage of the Jabara-Heyers NO HATE Act. The Filipino American community has experienced its share of hateful incidents, as reported by the Asian Journal. For example, in one viral video, a Fil-Am woman was verbally harassed while exercising at a Torrance, California park. Another recorded incident over the Fourth of July weekend showed a family being told by a white man that “You f***ing Asians” and “Trump’s gonna f*** you” while they were having dinner at a Carmel Valley restaurant. The order also guides the Department of Health and Human Services and the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force to con-

sider issuing guidance describing best practices to advance cultural competency, language access and sensitivity towards the communities in the government’s pandemic response. While several AAPI organizations recognized the order as a step in the right direction, they are calling on the administration to do more in addressing the health disparities within the communities. Brendan Flores, national chair and president of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) said in a statement that AAPIs and Native Hawaiians are not a monolith and each community has different needs amid the pandemic. “The Filipino American community, in many areas across the country, has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and this past year has amplified pre-existing health disparities in our community,” Flores said, citing the pandemic’s burden Filipino American health care workers. “NaFFAA echoes the concerns of NCAPA for our AANHPI brothers and sisters, and calls upon the Biden Administration to provide much-needed relief to the Filipino American community, especially to our healthcare workers serving tireless hours on the frontlines during this pandemic.” The president also signed orders on Tuesday to redress the country’s history of discriminatory housing practices and policies, to not renew the Department of Justice’s contracts with private prisons, and to re-establish a commitment to tribal sovereignty and consultation. With the four new directives, Biden has so far signed 37 orders since taking office on January 20. n

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Biden admin appoints Fil-Ams in... PAGE A1 of the U.S. Government’s Senior Executive Service for over 18 years and has been called a visionary and dreamer by people who have benefited from her work at the USAID. “These public servants, like so many across the federal government, are dedicated to serving the American people, not a political party or agenda,” Biden said. “I am thankful for their willingness to step-up to lead during these difficult times and help us make sure the government continues to operate and serve the American people. Together, we are restoring trust in the federal government and building our nation back better.” Before retiring from Federal service, Steele served as the Acting Assistant Administrator and Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Asia from 2015 to 2020. She is supposed to join the NGO CARE this month as its chief operating officer but for now, she will return as USAID acting head until the administration’s nominee, Samantha Power, is confirmed by the Senate. “I don’t want to be known as the person who became who she is because she’s a woman, or because she’s a woman of color. We should never feel entitled. We have to set our eyes on what we want, and we have to work for it. Each of us has to follow our North Star,” Steele said in a USAID article on Medium, honoring her four decades of public service. Prior to those assignments, she served as USAID’s Mission Director for the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, and Mongolia, from 2010-2015, where she oversaw a program budget of over $500 million. USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people progress beyond assistance. Ms. Steele received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Maryknoll College in the Philippines and her master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University. Born and raised in the Philippines, Steele first dipped her toes into the public sector as a management consultant to the country’s Secretary of Agriculture, and taught Business Economics at Letran Graduate School for Business in Manila. Her awards include a Presidential Meritorious Executive Award in 2007, Presidential Distinguished Executive Awards in 2008 and 2018, and the Order of Sikatuna award from the President of the Philippines in 2015. Camille Calimlim Touton (Bureau of Reclamation) Long-time water policy advisor, Camille Calimlim Touton is returning to the Department of Interior since she was named Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. “Ms. Touton has been one of my most trusted advisors on water policy for over a decade. She is an engineer, who has counseled U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, and was a leader in the Obama Administration’s Department of Interior’s Office of Water and Science,” Rep. Grace Napolitano said in a congratulatory message. “Although I am losing Ms. Touton for a second time to the Administration, I couldn’t be happier for her, and I am glad the Department is again, getting her great leadership, competency, and expertise.” “Her appointment is also historic, as Ms. Touton becomes the first Filipino American to serve in this important agency leadership role,” Napolitano added. In a previous interview, Touton was asked about who provided the greatest influence in her career. “My mother. As an engineer, registered nurse, and a mother to three children, she showed me that you don’t have to choose between personal and professional

John Santos

Dateline USa

Camille Touton

Angela Perez

goals,” she replied. The Bureau of Reclamation is a water management agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees dams, canals, and hydroelectric plants across the Western United States. It is the nation’s largest wholesaler of water and the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the West. “Ms. Touton is a master of the complicated issues of Western water policy, who fully understands the grave threats posed by climate change and unpredictable drought cycles. She is well respected by the wide spectrum of water leaders, including Democrats and Republicans, federal, state, and local water officials, and non-governmental groups,” Napolitano added. Touton served as Professional Staff for the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She was the staff lead on the resiliency provisions enacted as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. Her congressional experience also includes serving as Professional Staff for Interior’s authorization committees: the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. Camille also served as Interior’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science under the Obama administration. Touton holds a BS in Engineering (Civil), BA in Communication Studies, and a Master of Public Policy. Veronica Valdez (Department of Defense) Like Steele and Touton, Valdez is also returning to her old job, in this case at the Department of Defense, where she served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Air Force and as policy advisor during official visits to Asia-Pacific, South America, and Europe. Valdez was among the individuals who were sworn-in virtually or in-person at the Pentagon on Jan. 20, according to documents obtained by the Asian Journal. Prior to this new post as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, she was a policy advisor to the Commission President at the Port of Seattle. She also served the Secretary of the Navy as an Asia-Pacific policy advisor. Valdez received the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the Navy Superior Public Service Award, and Presidential recognition. Valdez received a B.S. in International Business from Ohio State University, a Master’s in International Affairs from the University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy and studied Mandarin at Peking University. She is a Truman National Security Project Fellow. Last year, the Diversity in National Security Network and New America named Valdez as one of the “2020 Asian American Pacific Islander National Security & Foreign Policy Next Generation Leaders”. Ms. Valdez was born in Manila and grew up in Sydney, Australia. John Santos (Department of Veterans Affairs) John Santos is joining the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the country’s second-largest federal agency, as a special assistant in the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. Santos previously served as

Asian American and Pacific Islander outreach director at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) where he led the DNC’s efforts to mobilize AAPI voters through a close partnership with the Biden-Harris campaign and community leaders across the country. In addition to his organizing work, Santos has extensive experience in public affairs and communications having served as Western Region press secretary at the DNC. Previously, he served in the U.S. Army as the Deputy Press Secretary for the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve during a year-long deployment in Kuwait and Iraq. Additionally, he previously served as the health policy assistant director for the American Legion and chair for communications at KAYA: Filipino Americans for Progress. n

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RAILWAY CLEARING. A backhoe operator clears the Philippine National Railways (PNR) route of obstruction at its Espana Station in Manila on Monday, January 25. PNR has resumed operation between the Tutuban station in Manila to Alabang in Muntinlupa City. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

Fil-Am appointed White House liaison...

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administration,” Tengco told the Asian Journal in a 2020 interview, citing the Obama-Biden administration’s record appointments of AAPIs, particularly Fil-Ams, to key government positions. Tengco — who was the executive director and then a senior advisor for the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) — briefly left politics to pursue a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of California, Berkeley. He graduated last spring and

had another job lined up, but the nationwide protests for racial justice and seeing former President Donald Trump’s photo-op in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. compelled him to work to get Biden elected, he previously told the Asian Journal. “I already knew that we couldn’t afford another four years under [Trump], but that was the day that I told myself that I wanted to jump back in and get involved in the campaign myself,” Tengco said in the interview.

His past experiences include serving as national AAPI outreach director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, and deputy director of the White House Initiative on AAPIs during the Obama administration. Tengco’s interest in political activism sparked while studying at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he obtained his B.A. in political science. “I’ll always remember this quote that I learned in college: No history, No self. Know history, know self,” he said. n

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State Treasurer Ma, Assemblymember Nazarian, AARP to hold town hall on financial abuse of older adults SACRAMENTO – California State Treasurer Fiona Ma is hosting an educational teleTown Hall on financial abuse of older adults on Tuesday, February 2 at 2 p.m. The event will be hosted in conjunction with Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care, and AARP. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the state’s population age 65 and older will nearly double by 2030, increasing by four million people – all the while becoming more racially and economically diverse. “As this demographic shift occurs and this population grows, so too does the threat and frequency of financial abuse of older adults,” said Treasurer Ma. She hopes the event will serve as an educational forum that fosters dialogue between financial abuse experts and older Californians – as well as those who love and care for them. The 75-minute town hall will provide information about common forms of financial abuse, red flags to look out for, and how to protect yourself and your loved ones. The forum will also focus on how our increasing isolation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has made older Californians more vulnerable to financial abuse. “So much of what negatively

impacts older Californians existed well before the COVID pandemic, and predatory financial practices are no different,” said Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, Chair of the Assembly Aging and Long Term Care Committee. “Isolation, unfamiliar banking and being online to connect with others has only strengthened the space for those who want to harm.” Treasurer Ma has also compiled several victim testimonial recordings in hopes of providing attendees with an opportunity to learn about the real, lived experiences of financial fraud and abuse victims, their family members, and advocates. These audio and video recordings will be available on the State Treasurer’s Office website prior to the Town Hall. Please visit https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/ presentations.asp to watch and hear these stories. “I have spent almost my entire political career living with and caring for my aging parents,” said Treasurer Ma. “As a result, I’ve become attuned to the financial needs and vulnerabilities of older Californians. Protecting this population from financial fraud and abuse is a priority of my administration, and I’m so thrilled to utilize my office to educate the public on these complex and emotionallycharged issues.” The tele-Town Hall will fea-

ture speakers from the California Elder Justice Coalition, the California Bankers Association, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, Senior Medicare Patrol, Adult Protective Services, and former San Diego Assistant District Attorney Paul Greenwood, a worldrenowned speaker on elder abuse. “AARP California, through its AARP Fraud Watch Network, is very pleased to join forces with State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and State Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian to further arm Californians with the tools they need to avoid elder financial abuse,” said Nancy McPherson, AARP California State Director. “The AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for people of all ages that offers real-time alerts about the latest scams in our state, along with a scam tracking map where people can report on scams to alert their friends and neighbors. Additionally, our network provides advice to outsmart con artists, and a helpline where Californians can talk to a trained volunteer for assistance if they or someone they love has been a victim of financial abuse.” Please visit the following link to register for the teleTown Hall: https://vekeo.com/ aarpcalifornia/#event-33273. (From State Treasurer Fiona Ma’s Office)

Police serves warrant at Chula Vista, CA home of missing Fil-Am mother by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

A SEARCH warrant has been served at the home of a Filipina American mother in Chula Vista, California who has been reported missing since the beginning of January. The Chula Vista Police Department said the goal of the warrant is to obtain any evidence and clues into May “Maya” Millete’s current whereabouts. “The Chula Vista Police Department’s focus will continue to be locating May safe and in good health,” it said in a statement on Saturday, January 23. “The Millete family has been and continues to be cooperative, and our investigation is ongoing,” the authorities added. Millete, 39, was last seen by her family at her home on the evening of January 7. She was reported missing on January 10 by her husband, who became worried when she didn’t show up for their daughter’s birthday. Maricris Drouaillet, Millete’s sister, told Dateline that Millete’s May “Maya” Millete driver’s license, credit card, peared to be missing. She also and possibly her cell phone ap- said that it’s possible Millete left

rarily banned the entry of foreign travelers coming from countries where the new, more contagious variant of COVID19 was detected. On Tuesday, January 26, the government expanded the travel restrictions to bar travelers from the Czech Republic from entering the country starting Jan. 28 until Jan. 31. Those who have been there within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines are likewise not to enter the Philippines. Filipino nationals coming from, or who have been to the Czech Republic will be allowed to enter, provided that they undergo quarantine until the re-

SBA takes steps to improve first draw paycheck protection program loan review WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is taking steps to improve the First Draw Paycheck Protection Program loan review so that small businesses have as much time as possible to access much needed PPP funds. The Biden-Harris Administration is focused on ensuring small businesses receive the support they need to keep their doors open and continue to employ millions of Americans across the country. The Administration is working with the Agency to identify immediate solutions to address eligibility, compliance, integrity, and promote transparency. While reviewing the initial draw of PPP loans, anomalies – mostly data mismatches and eligibility concerns – were identified in approximately 4.7% of the lender-submitted data. These concerns will require follow-up between the lender and the borrower so that borrowers can access a second round of loans. The SBA is committed to working with lenders and eligible borrowers to provide the necessary information for fol-

low-up and help get small businesses back on track so that they’re able to receive another round of PPP loans swiftly. The SBA encourages borrowers and lenders to work together as quickly as possible to resolve the issues. The SBA will automatically move favorable decisions to approval. During the newest round of PPP, the SBA has already approved over 400,000 loans for approximately $35 billion. “Prior to this newest PPP round, the SBA supported 5.2 million PPP loan borrowers, providing more than $525 billion in economic relief to small businesses and other eligible entities. The Agency is committed to making sure compliance checks are executed on the front-end. The SBA is also committed to addressing issues more efficiently moving forward, to ensure fair and equitable access to small businesses in every community,” said SBA Acting Administrator Tami Perriello. The SBA is immediately addressing the PPP loan review to allow for Second Draw PPP loan

applications to be processed in an efficient manner by: • Hosting a national call to brief lenders on the Platform’s additional detailed information that will assist in the resolution of First Draw PPP loan review and potential holds that impact Second Draw PPP loan application approvals • Equipping the Agency’s field team of lender relations specialists with information so they can provide support to lenders and borrowers in understanding the issues and facilitating the appropriate responses to resolve • Providing additional guidance to PPP lenders on the review and resolution process Through SBA’s 68 district offices, the Agency will work in close partnership with the Administration to further leverage its resource partner network and expand on multilingualaccess and outreach about the PPP. Updated PPP information, including forms, guidance, and resources is at www.sba. gov/ppp and www.treasury. gov/cares. (From Small Business Administration)

Assemblymember Chiu introduces bill to shift state prison savings to reentry housing program

the property on foot, since her vehicle is still at home. “This is something that’s very concerning to the police department. We’re very concerned about May. We want her to return home safe and so we’re doing everything we can,” Lt. Miriam Foxx with the Criminal Investigations Division told CBS 8. She added, “We’re just hoping she can be reunited with her family safe.” Millete’s family has held community searches, vigils, as well as posted flyers in her neighborhood. They also created a “Find find May/Maya Millete” Facebook page to spread awareness to the community. “Today and everyday until Maya is home safe with us, especially to her 3 beautiful children, we ask that you say a prayer at 5:01 p.m. (her birthday is May 1st). We do believe the power of prayer is what will bring Maya home,” the family said on the page. Anyone with information on Millete’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Chula Vista Police Department at 619-691-5139 or San Diego Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888)5808477. n

PH gov’t issues new testing protocols... PAGE A1 dorsed to the local government unit (LGU) of destination where he or she will continue the remainder of the 14-day quarantine under strict monitoring. “Appropriate patient management shall be observed as outlined in the guidelines of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and The Department of Health Omnibus Guidelines on Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment and Reintegration Strategies for COVID-19,” said Roque. Czech Republic included in PH travel ban The Philippines has tempo-

VACCINATION ROADMAP. National Policy Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. presents the national Covid-19 vaccination roadmap during the visit of officials of the Covid-19 Vaccines Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) team to the city held at the Tanghalang Pasigueno in Pasig on Tuesday, Janaury 26. Galvez lauds the city government for its “wellprepared” vaccination plan and scaled up efforts on testing and isolation. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

sult of an RT-PCR test. Czech Republic joined the list of countries under the travel ban, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain, the United States, Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, Brazil, Austria, Pakistan, Jamaica, Luxembourg, and Oman. To date, there are 17 confirmed cases of the new COVID-19 variant in the Philippines. n

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymembers David Chiu (DSan Francisco), Ash Kalra (DSan Jose), and Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) announced a bill on Wednesday, January 27 that would create a reentry housing program for formerly incarcerated people in order to reduce recidivism and homelessness. Assembly Bill 328 would redirect a portion of anticipated California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) savings to fund the program. “We are seeing a heartbreaking cycle of incarceration and homelessness play out on our streets every day,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “Giving formerly incarcerated people access to stable housing will reduce recidivism and save our state millions of dollars.” “As a former public defender, I am familiar with the challenges formerly incarcerated individuals often face when returning to their communities, and reintegration without proper support, like housing and mental health services, too often leads to recidivism,” said Assemblymember Kalra. “I am proud to joint-author this critical piece of legislation with Assemblymember Chiu to provide greater stability for these individuals who have paid their debt to society and prevent those at-risk from homelessness.” “As California’s incarcerated population continues to decline, it’s urgent that we begin dismantling the pipeline from prison to our streets,” said Assemblymember Wicks. “With this bill, we have an opportunity to prevent human suffering AND save money over time, marrying our compassion and our duty as a State to sound fiscal strategy.” Formerly incarcerated people are 27 times more likely than the general public to experience housing insecurity. Similarly, 50 percent of people who are experiencing homelessness have reported a history of incarceration. Housing insecurity is often a driver of recidivism with people on parole being seven times more likely to recidivate when experiencing homelessness than when housed. Due to prison realignment, sentencing reforms, and emergency COVID-19 actions taken by Governor Newsom, California’s prison population is expected to decrease significantly in the coming years. Between 2020 and 2024, the prison population is expected to decrease by 20 per-

cent resulting in significant cost savings at CDCR. The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates this decrease will result in $1.5 billion in savings to the state. Providing formerly incarcerated people with stable housing options would help reduce recidivism and stem the cycle of homelessness and incarceration. This shift would also be a better use of public money as it costs $90,000 per year to incarcerate someone while it only costs $12,800 per year to provide housing with supportive services. AB 328 would establish the Reentry Housing Program and direct a portion of CDCR savings to house and provide services to formerly incarcerated people. The Department of Community and Housing Development would be responsible for allocating this funding to counties and continuums of care to pay for long-term housing solutions for formerly incarcerated Californians. The Corporation for Supportive Housing and Housing California are cosponsoring AB 328. “Once again, Asm. Chiu is championing innovation in solving homelessness,” said Sharon Rapport, Director of California State Policy at the Corporation for Supportive Housing. “AB 328 will address the needs of a population often ignored: people experiencing homelessness who were formerly incarcerated in state prison. In ending homelessness for thousands of Californians, this bill will also reduce recidivism, as people who are homeless are seven times more likely to recidivate than those who are housed. It will also increase participants’ chances of landing employment, accessing health stability, and thriving in their communities. This bill will fundamentally shift how we address the needs of this population. For these reasons, CSH is proud to co-sponsor this important bill.” “When Californians have served their time, they are looking for the same thing we all do — opportunity, starting with a stable home. Yet too many — especially Black and Latinx Californians — exit incarceration to find a bolted lock on the door to homes, schools, and jobs. That’s not opportunity, that’s a revolving door back into prison,” said Christopher Martin, Policy Director of Housing California. “Housing California is proud to co-sponsor Assemblymember Chiu’s bill, AB 328, which represents the bold step we need

Assemblymember David Chiu File Photo from www.assembly.ca.gov

to shift resources from mass incarceration to building thriving communities. By providing funding to secure a stable home and specialized services for formerly incarcerated individuals, our legislators can unlock a meaningful chance to re-enter and succeed in society, while taking a giant leap towards ending homelessness as we know it.” City and County of San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed and San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju expressed strong support for the proposal. “I applaud Assemblymember Chiu for his proposal to direct savings from the closure of state prisons to housing our fellow residents who are re-entering society,” said City and County of San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed. “We must invest in solutions that will truly help people rehabilitate rather than leave them at risk of homelessness or returning to the prison system. State resources are critical to enhancing San Francisco’s existing commitment to serving those expected to be reentering our community in the years to come.” “I am proud to support Assemblymember David Chiu’s legislation that will divert resources from the prison system to our clients’ basic needs when they exit incarceration,” said San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju. “Increased funding to housing and supportive services will help ensure that our clients and their families are healthy and successful.” AB 328 is expected to be heard in an Assembly policy committee this spring. n

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Pope urges PH: Be a home with open doors by robertzon

ramirez

Philstar.com

MANILA — Pope Francis urged the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to continue their efforts in expressing evangelical charity, leading toward transforming the Philippines into “a home with open doors.” In his message to the CBCP, read by Apostolic Nuncio to the

Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown during the Tuesday, January 26 plenary assembly of the Filipino bishops, Pope Francis said that he trusts them that their deliberations will be productive amid the pandemic. Brown was present during yesterday’s virtual CBCP plenary assembly, which is a two-day event from Jan. 26 to 27. “He trusts that, amid the challenges of the global health cri-

Pope Francis

Philstar.com photo

sis, your deliberations will lead to more creative expressions of evangelical charity and thus enable the Church in the Philippines to be recognized as ‘a home with open doors,’ offering hope and strength to the suffering and to all who seek a more humane and dignified life,” Pope Francis said. Brown said that Pope Francis sent his cordial greetings to the members of the CBCP as he imparts his apostolic blessings “as a pledge of communion and peace in the Lord.” The CBCP said that there are more than 80 bishops attending as of Tuesday. The bishops have discussed reports from the nine regional representatives of the CBCP Permanent Council on their situation amid the pandemic, their responses and plans of actions. The CBCP said that the bishops will also discuss updates on the plans for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines. n

Palace urges nations not to worsen tensions in South China Sea by ritcheL

mendioLa AJPress

MALACAñANg has called on countries involved in the South China Sea issue to refrain from worsening tensions after China adopted a law allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels entering disputed territories and demolish foreign structures. “Sana po walang gagawin ang kahit na anong bansa dito sa usaping West Philippine Sea na magpapalala pa po ng sitwasyon (I hope countries would not do anything in relation to the West Philippine Sea issue that will worsen the situation),” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing on Monday, January 25. Last week, China passed the Coast guard Law, permitting its coast guard to use “all necessary means” to stop or prevent threats from foreign vessels. The Palace, for its part, stressed that China and other sovereign countries should comply with its obligations in the

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “Habang meron pong kapangyarihan ang bansa dahil sa siya’y soberenya na magpasa ng batas na iiral sa kanyang teritoryo, ‘yang mga batas po ‘yan ay kinakailangan sumunod pa rin sa mga obligasyon sangayon sa United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea kung saan kasapi po ang Tsina (While countries have the power as a sovereign state to pass laws asserting territory, these laws have to follow obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, where China is a signatory),” said Roque. “Under general international law po, yung paggamit po ng dahas ay generally prohibited except for two well-defined exceptions by way of self-defense at kinakailangan po merong sending of armed troops into the territory of China at kinakailangan ang paggamit po ng dahas ay necessary at proportional at when authorized by the UN Se-

curity Council (Under general international law, the use of force is generally prohibited except for two well-defined exceptions. By way of self-defense, there should be sending of armed troops into the territory of China and the use of force should be necessary and proportional; and when authorized by the UN Security Council),” he added. Roque also reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the completion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea “Ang deklarasyon po ng ating Presidente tapusin na po natin ang ating code of conduct at lahat po sana ng mga claimants sa West Philippine Sea ay sumunod sa code of conduct (The declaration of the President is to finish a code of conduct and that all claimants of the West Philippine Sea follow this code of conduct),” he said. On several occasions, China has refused to acknowledge the Philippines’ arbitral award that invalidated China’s claim over the entire South China Sea. n

EGG OFFERING. Sidewalk vendors sell sampaguita flowers and egg offerings in colorful plastic wrappers on the sidewalk along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, January 26. It’s been a tradition for people who visit Monasterio de Santa Clara to offer a dozen eggs. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

Moody’s raises concerns on health, safety issues in PH by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA — Moody’s Investors Service has raised a red flag over health and safety in the Philippine as COVID-19 cases in the country topped the 500,000 mark. In a report, the debt watcher said health and safety has been identified as a source of “highly negative risk” for the Philippines and India. “Therefore, improving healthcare access in emerging economies, alongside aging populations across higher-income Asian economies, could spur demand for healthcare products and services,” Moody’s said. Moody’s said governments facing budgetary pressures may seek to constrain healthcare spending. “governments’ fiscal burdens could increase alongside more demands for effective public health systems and social safety nets,” it said. The international credit rating agency said the growing demand for healthcare services and infrastructure spending may increase fiscal challenges. “A traditional emphasis on infrastructure spending to support growth may now have to expand

to include social spending on healthcare and pensions. The pandemic has highlighted existing gaps in health infrastructure in some parts of Asia,” Moody’s said. Moody’s said increased pressure on infrastructure spending may also lead to higher burdens on utilities and other infrastructure providers in the region as state-owned infrastructure companies tend to play a key role in stimulus measures to aid economic recovery. However, the debt watcher expects activity in the transport infrastructure sector to pick up this year, reflecting some improvement in global traffic and trade flows amid a gradual economic recovery. It warned long-standing risks would continue to weigh on the region, as there remains considerable uncertainty surrounding the potential path of the COVID19 pandemic, the public health response, and associated activity disruptions, most notably for contact-intensive sectors. “The region as a whole has kept the pandemic relatively under control. governments in Asia are progressively rolling out vaccine programs to frontline workers and the most vulnerable. In terms of rollout plans, there is

also a degree of heterogeneity across the region,” Moody’s said. According to Moody’s, the true extent of the damage to potential growth and the overall setback to the region as a whole would depend on the persistence of the pandemic shock and the effectiveness of the policy response. “We expect dollar-funding costs to be less of a constraint in Asia as a whole in 2021 than in 2020 as a result of the accommodative US monetary stance and ample global liquidity,” it said. It added international investors are expected to increasingly differentiate between countries based on relative growth outcomes and external vulnerabilities as the recovery progresses. “As a result, some central banks in Asia may actively intervene in foreign-currency markets to manage their currencies as a result of capital inflows. Sudden shifts in sentiment could also affect market access for companies with weaker liquidity and increase corporate debt service challenges for the region. This, Moody’s said, may fuel second-round effects for the region’s banks in terms of debt repayment capabilities and rising default risks. n

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FeatURes

OPiniOn

Not at this time

THE initiative is supposed to make the country more attractive to investors. Yet 10 of the biggest business groups in the country issued a statement last week, opposing the latest effort at the House of Representatives to amend the Constitution at this time. Instead the business groups want Congress to focus on pending measures to deal with the public health crisis and revive the economy. While stressing that they support initiatives to liberalize the restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Charter to enhance national competitiveness, the groups said “we are strongly opposed to any initiative at this time to amend the Constitution.” The groups are the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Filipina CEO Circle, Investment House Association of the Philippines, Judicial Reform Initiative, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Retailers Association, Philippine Women’s Economic Network and Women’s Business Council Philippines. Charter change at this time, the groups said, “will be highly divisive,” derailing efforts to be “totally united” in the national effort to confront

the COVID pandemic. Cha-cha, they pointed out, could be pursued in the first year of the term of those who will win in the 2022 general elections. Analysts have pointed out that because of the complexity of amending any part of the Constitution, the best time to initiate Cha-cha through any mode is at the start of a new administration. The groups are urging Congress to instead focus on legislative measures, such as amendments to the Public Service Act, as well as bills to provide economic stimulus amid the continuing pandemic. With only a year and a half left in the 18th Congress, there’s still a lot of work ahead that can be done to promote economic recovery, without the distraction and divisiveness arising from Cha-cha. (Philstar. com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Full speed ahead: America is finally winning the war against COVID, rebuilding our nation

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS FINALLY! We have an administration that tells us the truth about our enemies — visible and invisible — implementing a comprehensive national strategy and leading us in defeating them using a full arsenal and all tools available to win this war and save lives. One week since taking office, President Joe Biden has now accelerated the procurement of the supply of vaccines for the American people to ensure that 300 million Americans, which covers mostly the entire U.S. population, are vaccinated by the end of the summer or early fall of this year — yes, this year, 2021. This was announced by Biden in a televised message to the American people on Tuesday, January 26, assuring the people this is the way to win this war, after losing more than 400,000 Americans since 2020. Vaccines will be distributed to states based on their population. Thankfully, we see more and more people having the rational mind to want to be vaccinated, after seeing our own leaders, health officials and medical workers on the frontlines of the war against the pandemic, and some family and friends got vaccinated safely. This is critical to our vic-

Commentary

ATTYS. ALEXANDER MANGLINONG AND PHILIP LIM NULUD ON January 7, 2021, a day after the reprehensible violence occurred at the U.S. Capitol, Facebook and Twitter locked former President Donald Trump’s accounts. Many people were up in arms and questioned how Facebook and Twitter could do that. People claimed that it was a violation of his freedom of speech. However, it was not. Facebook and Twitter are private companies that are not required to provide anyone with their services or platform. Secondly, the First Amendment, which provides for the freedom of speech, does not apply. When you create an account on Facebook, Twitter, or another social media platform, you agree to abide by their respective terms of service. Like it or not, you entered into a contract with Facebook. They will provide you with access to their platform, so long as you abide by their rules. For example, for

tory, especially in light of the new variants of the virus. The top U.S. epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci stressed how important to have most Americans get vaccinated so that the other variants will not have the chance to grow and spread further. Despite this encouraging development, the Biden administration continues to echo our health experts’ advice and safety measures to abide by as our patriotic duty to serve the greater good: continuing to wear face coverings with a mask mandate in the first 100 days, social distancing, avoiding crowds and washing our hands even as we get the vaccinated. CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at george Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, explains the reason why: It’s important to be clear about what we know and what we don’t know about what the vaccine does. What we know is that the Pfizer vaccine is very effective at preventing symptomatic illness and severe disease. That means the vaccine appears to prevent people from getting sick enough that they develop symptoms, and very importantly, it prevents people from becoming so severely ill

that they end up in the hospital. This is really great news. Here’s what the studies don’t yet show. They haven’t looked at whether the vaccine prevents someone from carrying COVID19 and spreading it to others. It’s possible that someone could get the vaccine but could still be an asymptomatic carrier. They may not show symptoms, but they have the virus in their nasal passageway so that if they’re speaking, breathing, sneezing and so on, they can still transmit it to others. This is the main reason why we can’t stop wearing masks right after we get the vaccine. The vaccine will protect you from getting ill and then ending up hospitalized. But it’s possible that you could still carry the virus and be contagious to others. So those who get the vaccine should still be wearing masks and practicing physical distancing. Dr. Fauci, Dr. Wen and other health officials say we still need to practice these measures for a while, cognizant of the fact that our cooperation and commitment to abide by these will mean we go back to “normal” faster as we defeat the virus. Dr. Wen further explains: It’s estimated that about 70% of Americans must be vaccinated before we get to herd immunity through vaccination. That’s the point where enough people

have the immune protection that the virus won’t spread any more. This means about 230 million Americans must receive the vaccine. It will take time to produce this many vaccines - and remember the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are two-dose vaccines, so you need double the number of doses as people. Then the vaccine must be distributed and actually given to people. If all goes well, the best estimates are that it will be late spring or early summer for most Americans to receive the vaccine. At that point, we could probably see one another without masks - but not before. It did not have to be this bad in the United States but the Biden Administration would just have to deal with what was left behind by the Trump administration. On January 22, Biden released important information that delivers much-needed help to the American people, including and especially to us, the Filipino American community in the United States. “Fact Sheet: President Biden’s New Executive Actions Deliver Economic Relief for American Families and Businesses Amid the COVID19 Crises” stated: The COVID19 pandemic has forced the United States economy into an economic crisis. Across the

country, more than 10 million Americans are unemployed, 14 million renters are behind on payments, and 29 million adults – and at least 8 million children – are struggling with food insecurity. Because of pervasive systemic racism and inequality in our economy, the burdens of this economic crisis are hitting communities of color and other underserved families hardest. Biden signed an executive order that launched “an all-ofgovernment effort to provide equitable emergency economic relief to working families, communities, and small businesses across the nation. The actions taken as part of this effort will provide relief to millions of American workers who have lost their jobs and had their hours or wages slashed through no fault of their own. They will help working families feed their children and keep a roof over their heads. They will help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by clarifying that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance. And, they will help more unemployed workers pay for training and college so they can find better jobs and succeed in an increasingly competitive job market.

According to WhiteHouse. gov: “While the President continues working with Congress to take bold action that will help working families through the remainder of the crisis, he is taking these emergency measures and important steps to give millions of Americans real relief during the pandemic. The all-of-government executive order, combined with the President’s historic relief package and forthcoming jobs package will help Americans persevere through the pandemic and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery.” HELP IS ON THE WAY! Keep the faith! Let us do our share to win this war against the pandemic and to help ourselves and our government build our lives and our nation back better very soon. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

Does the First Amendment apply to what you post on social media? Facebook, you agree to “not use [Facebook] to do or share anything: [t]hat violates the [Terms of Service], [Facebook] Community Standards, and other terms and policies…” In Facebook’s Community Standards, there is a specific section as it pertains to Violence and Incitement. It states the following: We aim to prevent potential offline harm that may be related to content on Facebook. While we understand that people commonly express disdain or disagreement by threatening or calling for violence in non-serious ways, we remove language that incites or facilitates serious violence. We remove content, disable accounts, and work with law enforcement when we believe there is a genuine risk of physical harm or direct threats to public safety. We also try to consider the language and context in order to distinguish casual statements from content that constitutes a credible threat to public or personal safety. In determining whether a threat is credible, we may also consider additional information like a person’s public visibility and the risks to their physical

safety. (Emphasis added.) Thus, if Facebook determines what you posted incites violence, it can remove the content, and/or disable your account. In this situation, President Trump’s speech was deemed to have incited the violence at the Capitol. Under Facebook’s terms of service, Facebook was entirely within their right to disable his account. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media companies are not publicly funded. They are private for-profit corporations that can act as they deem appropriate. While Facebook and Twitter are platforms for speech, they are under no obligation to provide anyone with access to their platforms. The Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech.” This language restricts governmental, as opposed to private, abridgment of speech. In other words, the First Amendment only applies to actions by federal, state, and local governments. As an exception to this general rule, the First Amendment may

apply to private entities if they are considered “state actors.” Under the so-called “state-action doctrine,” private entities can be subject to First Amendment constraints in only a few limited circumstances—such as when (1) the private entity performs a function traditionally and exclusively reserved to the government; (2) the government compels the private entity to take a particular action; or (3) the government acts jointly with the private entity. With regard to the first category, U.S. Supreme Court has explained that very few functions are both traditionally and exclusively reserved to the government. Such functions include, for example, running elections and operating a company town. The First Amendment does not apply to Facebook and Twitter because they are private companies and not state actors under the state-action doctrine. They operate separately and apart from government, and they were not compelled by the government to lock former President Trump’s accounts. Further, their primary function — namely, the operation of an

online social media platform — has not been traditionally or exclusively reserved to the government. The primary function of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms may be viewed more broadly as the operation of a forum for speech. On this point, the government has traditionally and exclusively operated public forums for speech. But as the U.S. Supreme Court explained, a private entity cannot operate a public forum because it is not a state actor. Public forums, by definition, are forums for speech provided by the government. A contrary rule would effectively strip private companies of their ability to regulate their properties whenever they opened them for speech. In short, Facebook and Twitter were within their contractual and constitutional rights to lock former President Trump’s accounts. They, like other social media platforms, are private companies that may censor or suspend user accounts based on the user’s failure to abide by their terms of service and policies. As private entities, they

are not subject to the same free speech limitations under the First Amendment that generally apply to federal, state, and local governments. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Alexander Manglinong is an attorney at Sanders Roberts LLP in Los Angeles, where he practices business, employment, and general liability litigation. He serves as the secretary on the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA).

*** P h i l i p L i m N u l u d i s a n a tto r n ey at Buchalter in Los Angeles, where he specializes in intellectual property law. Many of his clients are well-known fashion brands, who he represents in IP protection, strategy, enforcement, and licensing matters worldwide. He is currently a director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the immediate past president of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA), and a past president of the PABA. He has been named as one of the Most Influential Minority Attorneys in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

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THE ASIAN JOURNAL

MAGAZINE

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N O R T H E R N

C A L I F O R N I A

Friday, January 29, 2021

INSIDE >>> L I F E S T Y L E • C O N S U M E R G U I D E • C O M M U N I T Y • M A R K E T P L A C E

Court blocks Biden’s deportation freeze an executive order calling for a 100-day pause on most deportations or removals. Immediately after that order was released, Texas filed a lawsuit, seeking a Temporary Restraining Order, and on January 26, 2021, ATTY. MICHAEL a Texas federal judge granted a GURFINKEL, ESQ 14-day Temporary Restraining AS I reported in a previous arti- Order, barring the Department cle, on January 20, 2021, just after of Homeland Security from paustaking office, Pres. Biden issued ing most deportations across the

Immigration Corner

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S IMMIGRATION REFORMS AND ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (above) opens this Sunday’s episode by giving updates on President Joe Biden’s massive immigration reform and answers immigration questions from Francis of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (right, top), Analyn of Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands (right, middle), and Chester of Independence, Louisiana (right, bottom), concerning DACA, divorce, and other issues, on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot” this Sunday, January 31 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

LIZA GINO’S ‘IMELDA’S SECRET’:

Giving life and light to one of the darkest secrets of World War II

country. The Biden administration is expected to appeal. What this Temporary Restraining Order means is that ICE is to resume all deportations despite Biden’s executive order, which bY JoSePh L. PeraLta / AJPRESS prioritized deportation for those THE scars and memories of who are considered felons, terrorists, and threats to national secu- World War II continue to haunt us rity, but had temporarily suspend- in varying ways. Whether it was the persecued enforcement actions against PAGE B3 tion of the Jewish people (referred to as the Holocaust) and Japanese internment, the loss of lives in the many battlegrounds (Normandy, Midway, Bataan, to name a few), the razing of many cities by invading forces, or the dropping of the atom bomb in Hiroshima in 1945, movies, specials, documentaries and television programs remind us of the horrors of war and the shattered pieces of their lives that people have had to form together in order to survive. Yet, one of the darkest and haunting secrets of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines has been given little air time compared to the many atrocities committed by the Nazi and Imperial Japanese Army — and that is the experience of the numerous comfort women in many nations where the Japanese occupied during World War II. This is tackled in Liza Gino’s “Imelda’s Secret,” a book that tells the story of two cousins, Gloria and Imelda, who were comfort women during the Japanese occupation. While one (Gloria) reveals her past which opens her up to ostracization from family members and society, the other (Imelda) keeps her experience bottled up to protect herself and her family from ridicule. Gloria’s illness is a tipping point for Imelda as she becomes conflicted on whether to PAGE B3

“Imelda’s Secret” author Liza Gino has woven a story based on true accounts from family and friends about the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, focusing on the often untold and buried accounts of comfort women during World War II. Screengrab from book launch

The book’s front cover is an image of community activist and philanthropist Dr. Yolanda Ortega Stearn as done by artist Angeli Clarisse Lata. Photos courtesy of Liza Gino

University of the Philippines Fine Arts graduate Maria Isobel Lopez used glass mixed media to create the piece featured in the book’s back cover, which features a woman whose back is turned to the observer.

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January 29-february 3, 2021 • nOrCaL aSIan JOurnaL

Celebrity World

Features

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Alma Moreno: No vulgar comments directed at her outside showbiz circle

her when she was doing normal things outside of showbiz. “With God’s grace, I did not experience any disrespect when VETERAN star Alma Moreno in the 1970s and 1980s. I was out on a stroll or out with Her most notable films are my kids,” Alma recalled. “I think seems to be doing fine during “Ligaw na Bulaklak Part 2,” I did not experience any since the coronavirus pandemic. Aside from finishing two “City After Dark,” “Makati Ave- I only exhibited sexiness in the movies (“Ang Paglaki Ko Gusto nue Girls” and “Mga Bilanggong movies. I was the youngest sexy Kong Maging Pornstar” and Birhen” where she was directed star then.” “Housemaid”), she has been by the industry’s noteworthy “I think I maintained a level getting guesting stints on the and award-winning directors. of respect [with other people] At the height of her popularity because I was different offboob tube. According to PEP.ph, the and during her partnership with screen. In person, I wore jeans erstwhile sex siren signed a the late Comedy King Dolphy, and t-shirts, I wore polos. I kept management contract with Viva Alma was host to her own televi- things simple… I even wore no Artists Agency, and seems to be sion show, “Loveli-Ness,” where make-up,” Alma added, while part of a stable of veteran stars she showed off her terpsichore- also saying that being true to who are looking at a busy and an skills and wowed audiences herself also projected an image with her dance outfits, particu- to people not to be rude to her. fulfilling 2021. It was in 1973 when people got larly the sexy, swimsuit-inspired As for her fellow stars – even a whiff of Alma Moreno (Venesa outfit, the “tangga.” the senior stars in showbiz Even when she was starring in – Alma revealed that there was Moreno Lacsamana in real life), who reigned as one of the indus- sexy films and showing off some never any rudeness or awkward- At the height of her fame as “Sex Goddess of Philippine Movies,” Alma Moreno claims that people never showed any rudeness or directed vulgar comments at her when she was doing non-showbiz things. Photo from video48.blogspot.com try’s sex symbols from 1975 to skin in the movies, Alma claims ness with them. 1991. She earned the title “Sex that she never had anyone direct “I never experienced any worked with,” Alma stated. Pretty good, indeed, as they related. Goddess of Philippine Movies” any rude or vulgar comments at belittling from the stars who I Aside from her film and TV are now 10 years married and The “It’s Showtime” host, career, Alma is also noted as a looking forward to more. who recently laughed off rumors “I remember I told myself, ‘I linking her husband to contropolitician, having been a councilor of the city of Parañaque am not going to have another versial political blogger and from 2007 to 2016. In 2015, she breakup. I am not going to have Duterte appointee Mocha Uson, ran for senator under the Unit- another heartache.’ And that the was emotional as she was asked ed Nationalist Alliance party of next one will be the one,” Mariel for a message for her husband presidential candidate Jejomar recalled. And that turned out to and two daughters, Isabella and Binay, failing to make the top be Robin. Gabriela. Now a mother with two kids, twelve and placing 24th. “I want them to know that no Mariel said her responsibili- matter what happens, I will al*** Television host Mariel Rodri- ties as a mom take centerstage, ways, always, always be there guez recently opened up about which means dropping her old for them. They don’t have to be her marriage to action star Rob- self and priorities associated perfect, but Mommy will always in Padilla in a recent article in with that life. be there for them. I will do every“Sometimes may pinapadala thing that I can for them. There the Philippine Star. According to Mariel, she has ako sa ‘yong picture, ‘yung ta- is nothing in this world that I discovered many things about lagang losyang to the max. will not do for my children,” her husband during the quaran- Samantalang dati, wala akong Mariel said. “Ten years from Award-winning actress Jaclyn Jose is reportedly keen on tine. ibang pakialam kung ‘di ang now, makita nila ‘to, it will still auditioning for the “Lola” role for an upcoming Disney “I think we have a pretty good itsura ko. Na-surprise din ako be the same. It will not change. film rumored to be “Spider-Man 3.” Disney is said to be looking to cast a Filipino woman for the role who is 50 team. Lalo namin nakilala ang because it’s such a different per- I can change, I can evolve, [but] isa’t isa,” Mariel was quoted as son. Si Mariel Rodriguez is dif- my love for my children, it will TV host Mariel Rodriguez and action star Robin Padilla have learned so much about to 90 years old and is fluent in English. ferent from Mariel Padilla,” she never ever change.” each other during the quarantine. File Photo from philstar.com Instagram photo (@jaclynjose) saying in the interview.

By Ferdie Villar

Fil-Am author Erin Entrada Kelly’s Godinez316 Cebu Style Chorizo now available at Seafood City ‘We Dream of Space’ receives another Newbery honor By Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

THREE years after being awarded the highest honor in children’s literature, Filipina American author Erin Entrada Kelly has received another accolade for her latest middle-grade novel, “We Dream of Space.” The author’s sixth novel, released last May, was named one of five Newbery Honor books, the American Library Association announced on Monday, January 25. “I got the call last night that WE DREAM OF SPACE won a Newbery Honor,” Kelly wrote in an Instagram post on Monday, sharing how she was notified of the honor after initially thinking it was a spam message. “I cried and called my agent @saraagent and then I poured a glass of whisky and drank it.” Tae Keller’s “When You Trap A Tiger” garnered the 2020 John Newbery Medal. Kelly previously won the prestigious award in 2018 for “Hello Universe,” which will be adapted into a live-action movie by Netflix. “We Dream of Space” brings readers into the lives of the Nelson-Thomas siblings, 12year-old twins Bird and Fitch and their older brother Cash, and the weeks leading up to the Challenger launch. Along the way, Bird’s dreams of being NASA’s first female shuttle commander and the dynamics of this middle-class family in Delaware are detailed. Readers also get introduced to their science teacher Ms. Salonga and see the recurring

Kelly holds a copy of “We Dream of Space, which was released on May 5, 2020 by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Photos courtesy of Erin Entrada Kelly/Instagram

It was important so that young people who are in that kind of family can see their dynamic on the page. My hope is that families can use it as a jumping-off point to talk about family dynamics and other things mentioned,” Kelly told the Asian Journal in a May 2020 interview. In addition to Kelly’s novel, “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team” and “A Wish in the Dark” by Christina Soontornvat, “Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom” by Carole Boston Weatherford, and “Fighting Words” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley were named Newbery Honor books. Kelly — who was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana to a Filipina mother from Cebu and a white father — previously had a journalism career, and is now a full-time author based in Delaware. This May, she is expected to release “Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey,” a novel about summer, friendship and overcoming fears, which she also illustrated. The title character, Marisol, mirrors Kelly’s background with a mother from the Philippines. “I know the landscape for not just Filipino authors, but people from all kinds of marginalized groups, has opened up and will continue to do so because literature needs to reflect our entire society. That’s what our world and bookshelves should look Research for “We Dream of Space” included newspaper clippings of the Challenger tragedy. like,” Kelly said. themes, such as loneliness, found in Kelly’s work. “This book explores a nonideal family situation — it’s not that the parents don’t love their children, but they’re caught up in their own toxic dynamic that’s permeating the rest of the family.

the Cebuanos and to the FILIPINO cuisine is Cebuano tradition. no stranger to sausages, Further steps inmore commonly known volved submitting the in the Philippines as ingredients for the “longganisa.” Derived Nutritional Analysis from the Spanish term with the FDA. Finally, “longaniza,” the country I worked closely with offers several interpretaan awesome graphics tions of the dish from difdesigner in coming up ferent regions. with my logo and label Most kinds of local design. Start to finish longganisa fall under – seven months. It went two categories: “recato market the week of do,” which refers to a Christmas 2020. more savory, salty kind AJ: What makes of sausage; and “hamoCebu Style Chorizos nado,” which refers to a different from others sweeter sausage. on the market? Chorizo de Cebu, BG: It is definitely which is one of the most NOT longaniza. Anyone popular versions of Filitrying it for the first time pino longganisa, is of will know that they are the hamonado type. It is experiencing a new flacircular in shape and red vor. It is sweet and sain color, due to the use vory — it has good spicof achuete seeds, and is es for what many have often paired with fried characterized as carrice and egg, making it Godinez316’s Cebu Style Chorizo can be found at Seafood City. rying a good “umami” perfect for any meal of the day. with each bite. My Cebu Style Becca Godinez, famed Filipina my own journey. I pored over every possible Chorizo uses 100% natural insinger and performer, shares how she developed her rendition recipe and video that I could find gredients. I use NO preservatives on the internet that identified as and the manufacture is semi-artiof the chorizo. sanal. It is a great-tasting chorizo For those living in the U.S., a Cebu chorizo. After some time, I was able that can be eaten every day and Godinez316 Cebu Style chorizo, which uses all-natural ingredi- to whittle them down to three it can be served for breakfast, ents and contains no preserva- groups that used specific in- lunch or dinner. AJ: Where can customers tives, is now available in several gredients in their end products. Seafood City Supermarkets as One of them was a complete no- find your chorizos? What’s in no…the ones that used anise in store for your brand in 2021? follows: BG: Right now, the product Southern California: Carson, the meat mass. I do not much Cerritos, Chula Vista, Eagle care for anise so that went out should be in most of the Seafood City Supermarkets following a Rock, Irvine, Los Angeles (Ver- the window. Developing my version began very successful test run in only mont), Mira Mesa, National City, North Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, after a personal “health” incident four outlets. I am so very happy in April. With a new lease on life, to say that during the initial run, and West Covina. Northern California locations I figured I’d better do this now Las Vegas sold out in less than a are: Concord, Hayward, Milpitas, or I never will. Although many week and they quickly submitted Sacramento, South San Francis- gave suggestions as to what in- a re-order. Cerritos was not far gredients would work best, I had behind. It is my hope, my dream co, Union City and Vallejo. Outside of California: Las Ve- to first consider availability. One to get this out to all markets and gas, Seattle, Washington, and or two of the ingredients that I that dream will be fulfilled this wanted to use were Filipino in- week. Folks have also clamored Waipahu, Hawaii. It is also available at Manila gredients and I was uncertain as for these to be made available to their bulk availability here in in Florida, Arizona, New York, Seafood in National City. Asian Journal (AJ): Tell us CA. I had to forego those. Work- Washington to name a few. You about Godinez316 Cebu Style ing with my manufacturer, we can bet that my heart soared at Chorizos — how long was the agreed on the grind size, and on the requests. I will work with my process of developing your rec- the fat to lean meat ratio. The distributor, Food For All, to try ipe before they went out onto rest was up to me. In order to to make this a reality soon. The take on the unique Cebu chorizo desire is to make the Cebu Style shelves? Becca Godinez (BG): I have shape, I taught myself how to Chorizo a pick-it-up from the been cooking up the idea of devel- stuff and string tie the links into shelf without thinking product. A oping Cebu Style Chorizos even the desired shapes. A true Cebu recognized, meal-time standard as I was developing my Premium Style Chorizo is either round or a — that’s the dream anyway. AJ: Some ways to prepare Chorizo de Bilbao, which went to rounded oblong and must result market in November 2019 and in a reddish-brown end product and serve the chorizos? BG: I made sure to include is available in all Seafood City with caramelization on the outer locations. I learned about cho- skin. After this personal at-home preparation instructions on the rizos specific to Cebu about four process I worked with the manu- label. Basically, you pour water years ago and was eager to try facturer to measure the exact into a pan and fill it to ¾ the and make my own. There were, size and weight of each link to height of the chorizo. Turn the however, limitations in trying to total the 16 oz that each com- heat to high and flip the links create a flavor profile for the cho- mercial packet would eventually as they cook. Once the liquid is about gone, lower the heat then rizo here in California because I weigh. The vision began much earlier pierce the bottom of each link to had nothing to compare it with. There are USDA/FDA limitations but I would say that the actual release liquid. Allow the liquid to regarding the importation of physical creation journey began thicken and caramelize – stirring meat products from overseas so I in May 2020 and I found my fi- the links until they are coated in had to depend on what I was able nal and best flavor in August. I a deep red brown color. Snip to find locally. I even tried to get have to stress that this is MY ver- each link and transfer to your some friends coming back from sion of the chorizo. This product serving tray. My heart hopes that folks do Manila (pre-COVID) to bring me went through several editions some — but that was not pos- with test groups giving me their try this Cebu Style Chorizo and sible either. In truth, there were comments on recipes that I was that they make it part of their only four chorizo makers that I testing out. I approached the regular day-to-day food fare. taste tested prior to beginning process with much respect to Lami lagi ni kaayo!

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Court blocks Biden’s deportation freeze The February 2021 priority dates

PAGE B1 those who fall outside these three categories. The federal judge stated in his ruling that federal agencies such as DHS “do not have discretion to completely disregard” immigration laws, which state, “when an alien is ordered removed, the Atty. Gen. (DHS) shall remove the alien from the United States within a period of 90 days.” In other words, immigration law requires DHS to deport or remove people within 90 days of their being ordered removed. But what is sad and alarming is that in 2011, Pres. Obama did the very same thing: he came out with a policy of “prosecutorial discretion,” where the government would focus on felons, terrorists, etc., but would use discretion and not vigorously pursue removal actions against those who, although out of status, did not pose a threat to society. That “pause” on such deportations was not challenged

in court, but now Texas is doing so. In addition, the executive branch of government (which is the President) is in charge of enforcing the law, and part of his authority or discretion is to determine how or the manner in which laws are enforced. This judge seems to say that the executive branch must fully and vigorously enforce removal orders for everybody. This is a developing story and could affect so many people in removal proceedings or have been ordered removed. Biden was going to go easy on most people, but as result of this lawsuit and injunction, it remains up in the air how vigorously immigration laws will be enforced. So, keep reading these articles, or watch my YouTube channel, US Immigration TV, as I will keep you updated on any new developments.

Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

By Michael

J. Gurfinkel, esq.

THE February 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being petitioned by an employer, and their Form I-140 employment-based petition has been approved or is pending, they could possibly be eligible to file for adjustment of status and work authorization, assuming they are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status (i.e. no issues re maintaining status, no fraud/crimes, etc.) People with approved or pending I-140 petitions should see an attorney about their eligibility to file for adjustment, now that the prior*** ity dates for these employmentbased categories are current. Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment-based categories. A priority date is a person’s her excitement over the by aJPress “place in line” for a visa, meannomination. “LINGUA Franca” by “LINGUA FRANCA is ing immigrant visas (or green Filipina American filmnominated for an Inde- cards) would be available for maker Isabel Sandoval pendent Spirit Award! persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date has bagged a nomination Gobsmacked to be at a prestigious awards in the running for the listed below. If your priority date dedicated to independent JOHN CASSAVETES was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” filmmakers. AWARD!!!” she wrote. Sandoval’s third film on Nominated along- and became unavailable) before Tuesday, January 26 was side “Lingua Franca” your immigrant visa was issued nominated for the John for the award are “The (or before you adjusted status in Cassavetes Award in the Killing of Two Lovers,” 2021 Film Independent “La Leyenda Negra,” Spirit Awards. “Residue,” and “Saint The award is given to Frances.” films with a budget of The Film Indepenless than $500,000. dent Spirit Awards, “Lingua Franca” tells originally known as the the story of an undocuFINDIE (Friends of Inmented trans Filipina livdependents) Awards, is ing in New York City who an award-giving body struggles to make enough dedicated to indepenLEADING U.S. Immigration money as a caretaker to dent filmmakers. Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel send back to her mother “2020 was Hell on discusses and explains the in the Philippines, as well Earth. But one glori- proposed immigration reforms as to pay for an American ous lifeline these past of President Joe Biden on the man to marry her for a months has been the very first episode of Citizen Pigreen card. ability to watch so many great films and shows,” noy for 2021. Sandoval wrote, directed, and starred in the film, said Josh Welsh, President Film Independent. Atty. Gurfinkel also answers which originally premiered at the 2019 Venice InHe added, “In an unbelievably challenging year, questions from Kapamilya from ternational Film Festival Venice Days program and this year’s Spirit Award nominees inspired us, con- various corners of the world. made history as the first film directed by and star- nected us and have been a source of urgently needAnalyn from Saipan, Northring an openly trans woman of color to be screened ed light in the darkness. And even though we’re still ern Marianas Islands would at the competition. stuck at home, let’s come together to celebrate this like to know if the USCIS is acIt was later acquired by ARRAY, which released great work!” cepting new applications for the film on Wednesday, Aug. 26 on Netflix and in The 36th annual Spirit Awards will air live Thursselect theaters. day, April 22 at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 p.m. PT excluIn a tweet posted on Tuesday, Sandoval expressed sively on IFC and AMC+.

Fil-Am filmmaker Isabel Sandoval’s ‘Lingua Franca’ scores 2021 Spirit Awards nomination

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date January 01, 2012

First Preference

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

October 22, 2012

Second Preference

(2A) Spouse and minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holders

January 2021

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holders

April 15, 2012

August 15, 2011

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

January 08, 2003

March 01, 2002

and sisters Fourth Preference Brothers of US Citizens

October 01, 2002

February 01, 2002

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

Third Preference

01, Current

Second Preference

Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Current

Current

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

Current

Current

the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply

to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

President Biden’s proposed immigration reforms to be discussed on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

Giving life and light to one of the darkest... PAGE B1 acknowledge publicly her experience as a comfort woman or to keep the status quo. Comfort women were women and girls who were forced to work as sex slaves in brothels by the Imperial Japanese Army in areas they occupied during World War II. The brothels were said to be provided for Japanese soldiers to decrease the incidence of wartime rape, which caused anti-Japanese sentiment in occupied territories. Many young women were abducted from their homes for this purpose, or were recruited through false advertising by unscrupulous middlemen and wartime propaganda advocated by the Japanese regime in place. In many ways, experts say the comfort women experience parallels the human trafficking trade that exists today in many parts of the world. An organized web event in late 2020 served as the book launch. Gino described her novel as a weaving of stories into a cohesive narrative based on true accounts from family and friends about the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. “I could have written a novel just about World War II,” Gino said. “But I chose to bring it forward 40 years after the war. Even though it has been four decades after the liberation women are still struggling: women can’t tell their families, their loved ones because if they do, for some it’s very traumatic.” Gino noted that she wrote “Imelda’s Secret” to give life to the silent warriors of World War II who have been discarded from history. “The comfort woman story is only in the oral story, it is not written down. And all attempts to write it down has been hindered. We need to acknowledge and honor these women, and we also all need to make sure that we know about it and that we stop this from ever happening again,” the University of the Philippines alumna said, while adding that women activists have been instrumental in making the comfort women issue become public. The author said that the story is set in San Francisco because she feels that “this is the only place where you can actually have this kind of conversation where it’s face-to-face — what you feel and what you’ve gone through — and

hope that someone will catch you and say, ‘It’s okay. We still love you. We still want you.’” Gino added that having these kinds of conversations and opening up, as the book’s storyline shows, is how one can “unhook, unchain and anchor yourself because keeping a secret for 40 years-plus can be damaging to the psyche. And that’s why Imelda’s secret should no longer be a secret.” For the author, the surviving comfort women of today are still doing their own version of the Bataan Death March every day and it is up to society to illuminate their plight and advocate for women’s issues in general. “We should get them justice and make people aware that this happened… we need to find them justice,” Gino stated. Collaborators for ‘Imelda’s Secret’ The online book launch introduced the many collaborators that helped Gino make the book a reality. Longtime Filipino American community leader and philanthropist Dr. Yolanda Ortega Stearn allowed her image to be used as the canvas for the artwork that is featured as the book cover executed by artist Angeli Clarisse Lata. “I think we all have a moral duty and obligation to write the story, to document the stories, to remind every generation that we are raising [about trafficked women],” Stearn said. “I am really happy to see this movement because what we started in Berkeley during the women’s liberation movement and all these movements in experimental schools brought out the story of the comfort women in the Japanese concentration camps, and all these unpleasant things that occurred that people simply did not want to talk about.” “It was really difficult even then to get women to come out and tell their story because there was such a stigma. And there was the shame that they felt to be part of this. This book that Liza has written really, really clears a smooth passage for all the women who have been abused or who have been trafficked. And trafficking is continuing today. It clears a passage so that it gives them strength and the courage to speak up,” Stearn added, while wishing that today’s younger generation

will up the book and take up the cudgels for victims of human trafficking. Former Binibining Pilipinas Universe winner Maria Isobel Lopez, a University of the Philippines graduate herself, created a mixed mosaic glass artwork for the book’s back cover. Liza was one of the runners-up the year that Lopez took the crown. According to Lopez, who has a Fine Arts degree, she was inspired to do the Illuminati Tree, subtitled Imelda’s Secret, when Gino informed her about the book about two years ago. While the word illuminati refers to a secret society since the 1700s, Lopez said her artwork title refers to the “enlightened ones, the comfort women in the book which hopes to bring clarity, truth and understanding to these women.” The woman’s figure in the mosaic depicts how a person tries to deflect confrontation or wants to forget something, and this is by turning their back, Lopez explained. “I used mixed glass media made up of man-made and natural stones. And you know very well that glass is a difficult medium to handle… it’s very hard to control, not to mention the danger that the glass can go into your eyes,” Maria Isobel said, while adding that in making the mosaic, some of the pieces cut her fingers so part of her DNA is embedded in the artwork. “I look forward to the journey of ‘Imelda’s Secret’ and I would like to congratulate my good friend Liza Gino for coming up with this very worthwhile book,” Lopez said. “We cannot forget these things… even if World War II is over the lessons that we learned and the things that are happening in the world [have] not stopped.” Film and television composer Roger Neill, for his part, presented a short sample of the haunting score he developed for “Imelda’s Secret.” Neill’s credits include scores for films like “29th Century Women,” “Don’t Think Twice” and “The Beginners,” as well as for television shows “Mozart In The Jungle” and “King of the Hill.” Neill described the music he created as beginning with an epic sweep, romantic, but also poignant and tragic, which then transitions into something quiet PAGE B4

DACA. Francis from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia asks why his previous lawyer thought that Francis’ petition was void just because he got married. And Chester from Independence, Louisiana asks if a married woman can come to the U.S. as a tourist and then divorce her husband who is in the Philippines. These questions will be answered on the show. A new

feature of Citizen Pinoy will be showing the latest in immigration news and analysis from episodes of U.S. Immigration TV, the YouTube channel of Atty. Gurfinkel. Get the latest immigration updates on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot” this Sunday, January 31 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

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PAGE B3 and contemplative, and then ends with kind of a question mark. He added that the score he ended up with was what he had initially imagined and conceptualized for “Imelda’s Secret.” Women activists for comfort women Also joining the launch were women activists Judith Mirkinson, Miho Lee and Sharon Cabusao Silva, as well as “Lola Isang,” who shared a short video message. Mirkinson and Lee, who are members of the San Francisco Comfort Women Justice Coalition, were contacted by the author to contribute to the book, with “the purpose of lending clarity on why this issue is relevant and making the connection with the reality we are living every day, wherever we may be.” Lee shared that many women’s groups — around 20 — ultimately coalesced to create a memorial dedicated to comfort women in San Francisco (located near St. Mary’s Square, at the crossroads of Chinatown and the Financial District; the statue shows a Filipino, Korean and Chinese woman) after learning of a group of Japanese government-backed rightwing historical denialists who were organizing in the Bay Area and other places in the United States to “educate the public that comfort women stories are complete fabrication.” Lee, who teaches at San Francisco State University, added that the power of bringing the narrative of comfort women stories, as told by the survivors themselves, brings two added components – that of healing and power/subversion. “We, as next generation, and our next generation are really the vessels through which that healing can happen. This is a multigenerational effort that we are a part of. This is not a thing that happened in the past that we are disconnected [from]. We are living the reality of bringing the healing as an act of empowerment,” Lee explained in reference to how comfort women have yet to heal from their wounds seeing as how their stories have remained buried or were silenced by society. Lee continued: “This is also an act of subversion… As we speak, currently the Japanese government is doing a lot of things within its power to rewrite this history… The fact that these stories are being preserved and told and personalized on the women’s own terms, from their perspective, is

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Lola Isang (Narcisa Claveria), one of the handful of surviving comfort women in the Philippines, sent a message of thanks and vowed that she will never surrender in her fight for justice. Image capture from book launch

helping counter the intentional erasure.” Mirkinson, for her part, said while they want the Japanese government to officially apologize for the atrocities committed against these women, people should also look beyond what they see as victimhood and see how comfort women coming out from the shadows gave power and voice to women around the world which helped change international law. “For the first time in history, women are now actually considered under international law human beings, and violence and rape against women are considered as a form of torture. And the history of the comfort women is a part of that, so that is why we consider this part of history as essential,” Mirkinson explained. Liga Filipina’s Cabusao Silva, meanwhile, shared that the plight of comfort women is still a burning issue today. Of about a thousand women who came forward to talk about their experiences as comfort women, the Gabriela-run organization, she said, could only document about 175 cases due to lack of funding and manpower. Only about 12 to 13 of these 175 women are still alive, and just four of these remaining women are strong enough to attend events. “Many of them still have the fire in their hearts,” Cabusao Silva revealed. “They would be willing to come out in the streets to tell their stories and to tell Japan, to demand the justice that they have long been demanding from the Japanese government.”

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Although they would like to have a more dynamic movement that continues the call for justice, compensation for the victims and for historical inclusion, the current political situation in the Philippines and the lack of awareness from the younger generation means they will have to educate young people about the issue of comfort women and, in a general way, about military sexual violence that continues to plague different parts around the world. In a brief video message, Lola Isang (Narcisa Claveria) thanked Liza for writing her novel and said, “Itong laban na ito, hindinghindi ako susuko… tuloy lang ang laban. Thanks sa suporta niya sa laban ng mga lola. Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan ‘yung pagpapasalamat sa kanila kasi sila rin ‘yung tumutulong, sumusuporta sa laban ng mga lola kasi ang gobyernong Hapon ay hindi naman kami pinapakinggan. Mula noon hanggang ngayon, wala pa kaming nakamit na tunay na [inaudible].” This early, the novel has already garnered a couple of awards – a Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for the women’s interest category, and first place for Historical Fiction at the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards. There are also plans to turn the book into a movie, with a script in the works. “Imelda’s Secret” is available at www.imeldassecret.com in book form or as an e-book. Connect with author Liza Gino at info@imeldassecret.com.

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